We all want to make more progress in writing fiction, whether to push through the 50,000 - 100,000 words needed to complete your novel or just produce more stories in order to get more feedback and grow as a writer.
How can I write...
It's not enough to have a great idea, a solid plot, and memorable characters. The story comes alive one scene at a time.
How do I write scenes? Use these 5 Steps to Write Great Scenes:
- Write a SUMMARY of the scene
- Get clear...
Reading Flash Fiction is fun, and also a great way to get inspired.
Writing Flash Fiction can also be a great way to supercharge your writing.
Here I have compiled a curated shortlist of good online flash fiction websites (plus a link to a very impressive curated list of...
You may have noticed that in this blog, I sometimes use Flash Fiction (and other short fiction) to help illustrate concepts so they come alive. Writing about fiction is fun, but actually writing fiction is even more fun.
What is Flash Fiction, and how can it be used to...
I was preparing for NaNoWriMo, and the story I wanted to write needed a lot of colorful and memorable characters. This made me think about the importance of memorable characters that stick in the reader’s mind.
What makes a character memorable? If your characters could speak...
We know that character names are an important element in writing characters who stick in the reader's mind. There’s the famous (and true!) story that Margaret Mitchell originally named her “Gone With the Wind” heroine “Pansy”, not quite as memorable as...
I hate writer’s block, that feeling of being stuck and not knowing what to write or how. So, I decided to take it head-on and learn more about writer’s block.
Why do we get writer’s block, and how do we get unstuck? Writer’s block is due to...
The flash fiction story "Getaway" was written in the "Outliner" method, one of the 3 ways to develop an idea into a story. That is: plotting the story in advance of writing it.
Of course, there are **spoilers**, so if you haven't read the story yet, do that first (flash...
"Stay down. Face on the floor, hands on the back of your head. You're doing good. Be smart, and nobody dies today."
Sal makes a fist, pumps it up and down rapidly, military tactical hand signal: Time to go. Hurry up.
Rhett —...
I have this great idea. But that's all it is. Just an idea, not (yet) a story. It needs a beginning, middle, and end to become a story. The mysterious (and intimidating) process of fleshing out the idea into a story — there's the challenge.
How do I...
